JPH04360482A - Reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To fast retrieve the image information compressed and recorded on recording media. CONSTITUTION:A recording and reproducing circuit 10 reproduced the image information compressed and recorded to recording media and a decoding circuit 12 decodes the output of the recording and reproducing circuit 10 and the image is restored. In accordance with the reproduction instruction from an operating device 28, a control circuit 26 reproduces the designated image to the recording and reproducing circuit 10, writes it to one of frame memories 14, 16 and 18 by a switch 20 and the monitor output is performed by a switch 22. The control circuit 26 also instructs the reproduction of the related image, switches the switch 20 and writes in two other frame memories.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus, and more specifically to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing received images or images recorded on a recording medium and outputting the reproduced images to a monitor.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, still image broadcasting systems using high-definition television signals have been developed. For example, there are local systems in which paintings stored in art museums are stored on optical disks or magneto-optical disks and the desired paintings are viewed on a monitor screen, and individual museums are connected through communication lines such as high-speed digital lines. , a network system is being considered that allows the collections of other museums to be viewed at other museums.

[0003] Although it is a still image, the amount of information is extremely large in the case of high-definition, and due to communication capacity limitations of the recording medium (optical disk or magneto-optical disk), image information is usually encoded with high efficiency. It is compressed and transmitted or stored. For example, in a still image broadcast using a high-definition signal, it is assumed that a viewer views one image for several seconds to several tens of seconds, and the image is transmitted at a bit rate of about 2 Mbps. The received data is stored and recorded on a large-capacity recording medium, reproduced as needed, and displayed on a monitor.

0004

From the standpoint of a user of such a system, it would be convenient to have a function that allows searching forward or backward in addition to the function of sequentially reproducing and displaying data from a recording medium. However, in the conventional example, image information is transmitted at a low bit rate and recorded on a recording medium by taking advantage of the fact that it is originally a still image. Search is not possible.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a playback device that eliminates such inconveniences.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A reproducing device according to the present invention is a reproducing device for reproducing and outputting image information compressed and recorded on a recording medium, and includes a reproducing means for reproducing a compressed signal from the recording medium, and a reproducing device for reproducing compressed signals from the recording medium. a decoding means for decoding the compressed signal reproduced by the means; a plurality of frame memories; a first selection means for writing an image decoded by the decoding means into one of the plurality of frame memories; A second selection means for selecting one frame memory to output an image from among the frame memories of , and a control means for controlling the first and second selection means, and a reproduction output of arbitrary image information. The method is characterized in that, in response to an instruction, one or more image information related to the instructed image information is written into another one or more relevant frame memories.

[0007]

[Operation] By the above means, when an arbitrary image is reproduced from the recording medium and output on a monitor, the related image information is restored and written in another frame memory. Therefore, related images can be immediately output to the monitor, making it possible to search substantially at high speed.

[0008]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a recording/reproducing circuit that records and reproduces still image information compressed by high-efficiency encoding onto one or more large-capacity recording media such as optical discs or magneto-optical discs. For example, the discrete cosine transform (D
Still image information compressed by high-efficiency encoding such as CT) is recorded on a large number of recording media.

12 is a decoding circuit for decoding the compressed data reproduced and output from the recording/reproducing circuit 10; 14, 16, and 18 are frame memories; 20 is a frame memory 14, 16, and 18 for writing the output of the decoding circuit 12; 22 is a switch for selecting a still image read out from the frame memories 14, 16, and 18; 24 is a monitor for displaying the still image selected by switch 22; 26;
controls the recording and reproducing circuit 10, and also controls the switch 20,
This is a control circuit consisting of a microcomputer that switches 22.

Reference numeral 28 is an operating device for specifying a still image to be displayed on the monitor. For example, assuming that a page number is assigned to each screen, the user inputs the page number of the still image that he wants to display on the monitor 24 from the operating device 28.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a case where a search command for a page larger than the page currently displayed on the monitor 24 is input from the operating device 28.
An operation flowchart of the control circuit 26 is shown. For example, 5
While displaying a still image of the page on the monitor 24, page 6,
This is a case where a search command for still images such as 7 pages or 100 pages is input.

It is checked whether the image of the specified page has been written to any of the frame memories 14, 16, and 18 (S1), and if it has not been written, the image is read from the two frame memories other than those currently being displayed on the monitor. , frame to write
A memory is determined and the switch 20 is connected to the frame memory (S2). The recording/reproducing circuit 10 is instructed to reproduce and output the recorded data of the specified page (S3). The decoding circuit 12 decodes the compressed data output from the recording/reproducing circuit 10 to restore the original image. The restored image data is written via switch 20 to the frame memory determined in S2. When the decoding of the designated page is finished, the decoding circuit 12 sends a message to that effect (i.e., an end of the page).
page) to the control circuit 26 (S4).

In response to the decoding completion notification from the decoding circuit 12, the control circuit 26 switches the switch 2 to select the output of the frame memory into which the output of the decoding circuit 12 is actually written.
Switch 2. As a result, a still image of the page for which the search was instructed using the operating device 28 is displayed on the monitor 24 (S5
), the user's requirements are prima facie satisfied.

[0015] When there is a search request for a certain page, there are many cases in which the user also wants to see nearby pages, for example, subsequent pages. Therefore, in this embodiment, three frame memories are used cyclically, and the next page and the next page are sequentially stored in the two frame memories following the frame memory that stores the image of the page of the search request. The image data is reproduced, decoded and written from the recording medium (S6, 7). As a result, when you want to view the next page, you only need to switch the switch 22, and the page will be displayed on the monitor 24 in a short time.

If the image of the page requested to be searched by the operating device 28 has already been written in any of the frame memories 14, 16, and 18 (S1), the frame memory to be displayed is determined (S8), and Switch the switch 22 to the frame memory that was created and display it on the monitor 24 (
S9). If the image of the next page has been written to one of the two frame memories other than the one currently being displayed (S10), the images of the next page are reproduced and restored, and the remaining one frame memory is
Write to memory (S7). If the image of the next page has not been written to any of the two frame memories other than the one currently being displayed (S10), the next page and the next page are sequentially written to the two frame memories following the frame memory currently being displayed. The image data is reproduced, decoded and written from the recording medium (S6, 7).

This embodiment is particularly effective in the case of one-page sequential search. This means that while each page is being viewed, the images of the next or successive pages are decoded and written to the frame memory, allowing each page to be viewed quickly. That is, there is no need to wait for the decoding processing time of each still image.

Although the case of forward search has been described, the same applies to backward search, and it is sufficient to write pages in the reverse direction to frame memories other than those currently being displayed. You can also display images of pages before and after the currently displayed page in frames other than the one currently displayed.
It may also be written to memory. Also, the frame
It goes without saying that the number of memories is not limited to three, but may be four or more.

In this embodiment, the search is performed using the concept of pages, but writing to the frame memories 14, 16, and 18 is not limited to the page order. For example, the search frequency order may be used.

[0020]

[Effects of the Invention] As can be easily understood from the above explanation, according to the present invention, images related to the currently displayed image are written in the frame memory, so that related images can be searched at high speed. Become.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Recording/reproducing circuit 12: Decoding circuit 14, 16
, 18: Frame memory 20: Switch 22: Switch 24: Monitor
26: Control circuit 28: Operating device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reproducing device for reproducing and outputting image information compressed and recorded on a recording medium, comprising a reproducing means for reproducing a compressed signal from the recording medium, and a decoding means for decoding the compressed signal reproduced by the reproducing means. a plurality of frame memories, and a first selection means for writing the image decoded by the decoding means into one of the plurality of frame memories;
Consisting of a second selection means for selecting one frame memory to output an image from among the plurality of frame memories, and a control means for controlling the first and second selection means,
A playback device characterized in that, in response to an instruction to play back and output arbitrary image information, one or more pieces of image information related to the instructed image information are written into another one or more corresponding frame memories.